Agitating and spinning mechanism



Oct. 27, 1964 J. E. WHELAN 3,153,951

AGITATING AND SPINNING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 24, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR James )5 d/kehn 4923 ATTOR/Viy Oct. 27, 1964 Filed D80. 24, 1962 J. E. WHELAN 3,153,951

AGITATING AND SPINNING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

IN VENTOR /emu l5: ZtMeZan Oct. 27, 1964 J. E. WHELAN 3,153,951

AGI'I'ATING AND SPINNING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 24, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR i? James 15 M22824)? H13 147"? OR/Vi Y O 1964 J. E. WHELAN 3,153,951

AGITATING AND SPINNING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 24, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. James 15 Mlle/a2? H25 ATTORNEY O t- 27, 1964 .1. E. WHELAN 3,153,951

AGITATING AND SPINNING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 24, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENTOR.

ma ,5 ZJ/zeian United States Patent 3,153,951 AGITATING AND SPINNING MECHANISM James E. Whelan, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 246,693 11 Claims. (Cl. 74665) This invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to an improved agitating and spinning mechanism for a clothes washer.

The clothes washing art is continuously in search of an agitating and spinning mechanism having a minimum of parts and a maximum in dependability.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an agitating and spinning mechanism wherein a reversible motor, by the direction thereof, selects either agitate or spin.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an agitating and spinning mechanism including a reversible motor and a screw clutch selectively operable by the direction of the motor into driving relationship with the spin tub or the agitator.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved centrifugally actuated brake means for preventing a reversal of wash cycle function from spinning to agitate.

A more specific object of this invention is the provision of a screw clutch movable to set up a driving connection between the motor and an agitate mechanism or a spin mechanism and wherein a lock arm or cam responsive to centrifugal force limits the movement of said screw clutch at the conclusion of spin.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a lock arm for the purposes outlined in the last mentioned object wherein the lock arm is responsive to the rotational direction of said motor.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein pre ferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic sectional view, partly in elevation, of a clothes washer provided with the agitating and spinning mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the agitating and spinning mechanism taken along line 2'-2 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, showing one embodiment of this invention (centrifugal force responsive) partly in elevation and taken along line 33 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view taken in the direction of line 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 but provided with another centrifugal force responsive embodiment of this invention;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken in the direction of line 66 in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentry side elevational view similar to FIGURE 2 of a direction responsive screw clutch locking device constituting still another embodiment of this invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 and taken along line 8-8 of FIGURE 7.

General In accordance with this invention and with reference to FIGURE 1, a clothes washer 10 is shown with an outer casing defining an upper water container portion 12 and a lower agitating and spinning mechanism compartment 14. An intermediate bulkhead 16 serves to divide the Patented Oct. 27, 1964 casing into the compartments 12 and 14 and includes an open end sleeve 13 closable from the water container by a bellows seal 19. The casing of the clothes washer is provided with a top access opening 20 closable by a door 22.

An agitating and spinning mechanism shown generally at 24, in the mechanism compartment 14 is adapted to selectively rotate a spin tub 26 in the water container compartment 12 and to oscillate an agitator 28 in the spin tub. In general, the mechanism is pivotable in a resilient bushing 30 fixed at the bottom of the clothes washer casing and is adapted for transverse movement within the limits of the sleeve 18 by lateral support arms 32 yieldably afiixed to the casing my snubbers 34. Thus, any unbalance in the spin tub 26 during rotation thereof will be taken up in the elements 30 and 54.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, the agitating and spinning mechanism 24 includes a reversible, capacitor start, two speed, 4-6 pole motor 4% which operates through a belt and pulley system 42 to rotate a spin shaft 44 connected as at 46 to the bottom wall of the spin tub 26. On the other hand, the motor 40 is effective through a belt and pulley system 48 and a transmission 74 to oscillate a shaft 59 connected at its upper end 52 to the agitator 28.

The agitate and spinning mechanism 24 is carried in a support bracket 94 having a pin 96 in the resilient bushing 30. The upper end of the support bracket 94 is carried by the lateral arms 32 and includes a housing 98 for enclosing the spin shaft 44 and the oscillating shaft 5t). Suitable bearings 10% and 192 at opposite ends of the housing 98 serve to journal the spin shaft.

Agitate Drive The agitate portion of a clothes washing cycle is initiated when the motor 40 is energized to rotate a power shaft 56 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the motor end of the shaft. The agitate function is accomplished through an agitate drive pulley 58 attached to the shaft 56, a drive belt 63 responsive to the driving rotation of the pulley 58 and connected to pulley 62 on a shaft 64 fixed against lateral movement and adapted to operate a pump 66 at its lower end and carrying a second pulley 68 which is connected through a belt 7t? with the input pulley 72 of a sealed transmission 74. The transmission 74 may be of any well known design wherein a rotary input through the pulley '72 will set up an oscillatory action at an output fitting 76. The output fitting is, in fact, the lower half of a dog clutch assembly 75, to be described more fully hereinafter, and includes spaced notches 78 for receiving the dog or tooth portions 89 on the upper portion 82 of the dog clutch assembly. The upper clutch portion 82 has internal splines slidable axially on the complementary splines 83 of the oscillate shaft 50 for the purpose of providing a driving connection between the transmission 74 and the oscillate shaft 59. It should be understood that the dog 8%) must be engaged with the notch 73 before the agitate shaft 50 will oscillate.

Spin Drive The spinning action of the tub 26 is initiated when the motor 40 is energized to rotate the shaft 56 in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the motor end of the power shaftthis action being set up by a pulley 86 attached to the power shaft, a belt 88 interconnecting the spin drive pulley 86 with a spin driven pulley 90. The spin driven pulley 90 is selectively connected in driving relationship with the spin shaft 44 by means of a screw clutch, shown generally at 92 which will be described more fully next following.

Screw Clutch Assembly The screw clutch 92 will now be described more fully and is shown comprised of a movable nut member 104 having a flat plate-like portion 106 to which is cemented an annular piece of frictional material 108. Internal threads on the nut 104 engage external threads on a fixed screw member 110. The screw 110 is fastened as by threads 112 to the lower end of the spin shaft 44 and has a shoulder 114 for retaining the spin driven pulley bearing 116 between the shoulder and a clutch bearing spacer 118 and retaining ring 120. When viewed as in FIGURES 2 and 3, the nut member 104 will move upwardly when screwed in a clockwise direction, serving thereby to disengage the dog clutch 75.

As to the lead angle on the screw 110, the first consideration is the selection of an angle which will not effect a self-locking characteristic between the nut member 104 and the spin driven pulley 90. Secondly, a lead angle should be selected in the light of the acceleration characteristic of the motor 40. In order to eliminate double switching of the phase Winding in the motor, the nut member 104 should screw itself into engagement with the spin driven pulley 90 before the motor reaches start winding switching speed.

Dog Clutch Assembly In general, the dog clutch 75 is actuated by the axial movement of the screw clutch portion 104. In particular, a U-shaped shift collar 85 partially circumscribes a channel 81 on the upper dog clutch portion 82 and includes radially directed pins 130 which extend through elongated slots 128 in brackets 124, 126. Thus, the upper portion of the dog clutch assembly 75 depends from the nut member 104 on brackets 124, 126 and moves up and down with the screw clutch portion 104. A spring member 132 is wrapped about the shift collar pins 130 in a manner to force the upper clutch member 82 downwardly until the pins 130 engage the lower end of the slots 128. In case the oscillations of the lower clutch member 76 place the notch 78 relatively rotatably displaced from the dog 80, the pin 130 of the upper clutch member 82 will move upwardly in the slot 128this yielding action serving to load the spring 132 so that the dog tooth 80 will snap into the notch 78 as soon as the two become aligned. The oscillate shaft 50 may also include a pilot portion 136 slidably extending into a guide port 138 in the dog clutch portion 76, thereby to properly align the mating members of the dog clutch 75.

The screw clutch 92 is effective in its upper position to effect a driving connection between the spin driven pulley 90 and the spin shaft 44. On the other hand, the screw clutch 92 has a lower position wherein the dog clutch portion 82 carried thereby is engageable with the transmission 74 to set up an oscillatory motion of the agitator 28. In order to initiate the movement of the screw clutch 92 to either of these two positions and to provide the downward thrust necessary to keep the dog clutch engaged during agitate, a drag clutch assembly, shown generally at 140, is selectively engageable with the nut member 104 of the screw clutch and is actuated by a pin 142 affixed to the spin driven pulley 90 and depending therefrom.

Drag Clutch Assembly The drag clutch 140 is comprised of a pair of clamp members 144 and 146 disposed on opposite sides of the nut member 104 and having friction blocks 148 of carbon-graphite (such as Graphitar, Grade 2) which slidably ride in a trough or channel 150 on the radially outer side of the screw clutch nut portion 104. The clamp members 144, 146 are fixed in spaced relationship by an adjustment bolt 152 at one side thereof and movably mounted relative to each other on the other side thereof by an adjustment bolt 154 having a spring 156 between a flange 158 of the clamp member 144 and a washer 160 to maintain the drag force. A lever bracket 162 has a bell crank por- 4 tion 164 through which the bolt 154 extends and a reverse bent portion 166 curving around the end of the clamp flange 158 to be selectively engaged by the pin 142 carried by the spin driven pulley. Thus, the lever bracket 162 is effective to partially unload the engagement of the friction blocks with the screw clutch member channel 150 when the lever is pivoted counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURES 3 and 5. As will be understood more fully hereinafter, the lever action of the bracket 162 on the drag clutch 140 is afforded by the selective rotation of the pin 142. In other words, when the motor 40 is being energized to rotate the pulley 90 in a spin direction, the pin 142 will tend to rotate the clamp flange 158 in a clockwise direction (FIGURES 3 and 5) while the reversal of the motor 40 will cause the spin driven pulley 90 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction (FIGURES 3 and 5) and thereby will cause the drag clutch to partially release its gripping engagement on the screw clutch member 104.

Selective engagement by pin 142 with either drag clutch portion 166 or 158 is desirable as less torque is required to maintain suflicient axial engaging force between dog clutch members and 78 during the agitate cycle than is required at start of spin cycle to insure that the screw clutch member 104 engages the pulley before the motor reaches switching speed.

In adjusting the drag clutch 140, as by bolts 152, 154, a suificient load is placed on the friction blocks 148 so that sufiicient torque is exerted on the nut 104 of the screw clutch to provide an axial force which will keep the dogs 80 engaged with the notch 78 during agitate.

Operation In operation and with references to FIGURES l, 2 and 3, one embodiment of this invention will now be described. When the motor 40 is energized to initiate a washing or agitating action whereby the agitator 28 will be oscillated, the following sequence will govern. The power shaft 56 will be rotated in a manner to cause the agitate drive pulley 58 to rotate counterclockwise as viewed from the motor. Through the belt 60, intermediate pulley 62 and 68, belt 70 and transmission input drive pulley 72, the transmission 74 will be operated to set up an oscillatory motion in its output member 76, this member being the bottom one-half of the dog clutch 75. At the same time, the spin drive pulley 86 will be rotating in the same direction as pulley 58 and will be effective to rotate the pulley 90 in a counterclockwise direction (FIGURE 3). In turn, the pin 142 on the pulley 90 will drive the return bend portion 166 of the lever bracket 162 to partially unload the drag clutch 140. The nut member 104 of the screw clutch 92 starts to screw itself downwardly on the screw member to engage the dog teeth 80 with the mating notches 78 of the dog clutch therebelow-the pilot portion 136 and splines 83 guiding the axial movement of the clutch member 82 as it moves downwardly. If the oscillatory motion of the transmission member 76 is such as to place the tooth and notch out of alignment, the pin of the upper clutch member 82 will yield in the elongated slots 128 of the support brackets 124.- As soon as the tooth 80 and slot 78 do align, the loaded spring 132 will cause the two components of the dog clutch to mate with a snap action. Now, the motor 40 is eifective to oscillate the agitator shaft 50 through the pulleys 58, 62, 68, 72, and the transmission 74.

At the conclusion of an agitate cycle, the agitating and spinning mechanism 24 of this invention is effective to initiate spinning of the tub 26 by energizing the motor 40 in a reverse manner. In this operation, the spin drive pulley 86 will be operating in a clockwise direction (as viewed from the motor 40) and will rotate the spin driven pulley 90 in a clockwise direction (FIGURE 3). In this relationship, the pin 142 on the pulley 90 will increase the drag pressure of the drag clutch by bearing on the flange 158 of drag clutch clamp member 144. This drag or braking action will cause the nut member 104 of the screw clutch 92 to quickly screw itself upwardly into engagement with the bottom side of the spin driven pulley 90, this action taking place before the motor reaches switching speed, in some cases in less than one-half revolution of the pulley 90. A solid connection now exists between the pulley 90, the frictional material 108, screw clutch members 104 and 110 and the spin shaft 144 to which the screw member 110 is afiixed. It should be understood that the dog tooth 80 is disengaged from the transmission 74 when the nut member 104 of the screw clutch goes upwardly.

Decelerator Lock Arrangements Another facet of this invention is operative at the conclusion of a spinning operation and involves a deceleration eflective device to prevent the nut member 104 of the screw clutch from moving downwardly into engagement with the transmission while the tub is coasting to a halt. Such action would set up considerable shock and possible damage in the transmission due to the high speeds and inertia forces of the movable components. In this respect it should be understood that the transmission output member 76 is oscillating whenever the motor 40 is energized irrespective of motor direction. It is only the engagement of the dog clutch member 80 with the transmission member 76 that initiates the oscillation of the agitator 28.

In accordance with the deceleration arrangement of this invention and with reference to FIGURES 3 and 4, lock arms 180, 182 are pivotally supported on brackets 184, 186 afiixed to the bottom side of the spin driven pulley 90. With reference to the arm 182, a bolt or pin 188 and a bushing 190 are effective to journal the arm for a limited pivoting action in response to rotation of the pulley 90. With reference to FIGURE 4, rotation of the pulley 90 will cause the arms to pivot outwardly due to centrifugal force after the nut member 104 of the screw clutch 92 moves into engagement with the bottom side of the pulley. For instance, the arm 132 will pivot to its phantom line position 192, thereby moving a stop portion 194 under the outer rim of the clutch plate 106. Then, when the motor 40 is deenergized and the nut member 104 tries to screw itself downwardly, the stop end 194 of the lock arm 182 will prevent this action. In view of the taper 196 on the clutch plate portion 106 of the nut member 104, the arm 182 will release itself to its solid line position as soon as the mechanism comes to a halt and inertia forces cease.

A second embodiment of this deceleration arrangement is shown in FIGURE 5 wherein centrifugally actuated arms 280 and 282 are pivoted about a shaft, such as 288, in the underside of a pulley, such as 90. A spring, such as 290, will normally maintain the arm 182 in an unlocked position, but centrifugal force will move it to the phantom line position 192 so that the nut member will not back away from the pulley at the conclusion of spin.

Both of the foregoing embodiments of deceleration safety devices have been centrifugally actuated. The next embodiment is direction responsive and will be explained with reference to FIGURES 7 and 8. In this arrangement and in addition to the spin driven pulley 90 and the screw clutch 92, the decelerator arrangement is provided with an annular shift plate 300 circumscribing the clutch plate portion 106 of the nut member 104 and which is yieldably fixed against rotation by a clamp 302 fixed to any relatively stationary portion 304 of the agitate and spinning mechanism 24, such as the support bracket 94. The clamp 302 includes frictional pads 306, 308 which bear against the upper and lower surfaces of the plate 300. A pin 310 afiixed at its threaded end to the pulley 90 carries a bushing 311 for supporting the plate 300 in an axially fixed relationship to the pulley 90. At the lower end of the pin 310, a lock member 312 is pivotally supported and normally biased toward a locking position (see phantom line 314) by a spring 316 aflixed at one end 318 to the annular plate 300. Although only one support pin 310 and one pivoting lock 312 is shown, it should be understood that two or more of these components should be spaced about the circumference of the plate 300. In this embodiment, the lock member 312 is made responsive to the direction of rotation of the pulley 90. In this regard, the plate 300 is formed with an elongated slot 320 through which the pin 310 extends to support the pivoting lock member 312. A stop pin 322 on the plate 300 limits the clockwise rotation of the lock member 312, as viewed in FIG- URE 8the spring 316 normally tending to pivot the lock member in a clockwise direction to retain it out of engagement with the clutch plate portion 106 of the nut member 104 during agitate. At the start of spin, the pulley and the plate member 300 tend to rotate relative to each other, since the plate 300 is restrained by the clamp 302. The pin 310 will move in a clockwise direction from the left side of the slot 320 to the right side thereof and relative to the spring 316. The spring will move over center of the pin 310 from the right side thereof to the left side. This action will bias the lock member 312 into its phantom line position as soon as the screw clutch plate portion 106 moves out of engagement therewith so the lock member can move under the peripheral edge of the plate portion to limit unscrewing of the nut member 104 at the end of spin, thereby preventing an initiation of agitation while the spin tub is coasting to a stop.

It should now be seen that an improved and simplified agitating and spinning mechanism has been invented wherein both centrifugally responsive and direction responsive decelerator brakes are incorporated to prevent a reversal of function from spin to agitate at the conclusion of spin.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination with an agitate member and a spin member, an agitating and spinning mechanism for selectively motivating one of said members and comprising reversibly rotatable powershaft means having an agitate drive pulley and a spin drive pulley, a spin driven pulley drivably rotatably connected to said spin drive pulley and relatively rotatably carried on said spin member, an agitate driven pulley drivably rotatably connected to said agitate drive pulley, transmission means having a power input portion including said agitate driven pulley and a power output portion, said transmission means adapted for converting the rotary motion of said agitate driven pulley to oscillatory motion at said power output portion, clutch means carried on said spin member and relatively axially movable thereto between a first position in engagement with said spin driven pulley for effecting a driving connection between said spin driven pulley and said spin member and a second position in engagement with said power output portion for effecting a driving connection between said power output portion and said agitate member, and means in selective locking engagement with said clutch means and actuated by said spin driven member to selectively limit movement of said clutch means in said first position.

2. In combination with an agitate member and a spin member, an agitating and spinning mechanism for selectively motivating one of said members and comprising rereversibly rotatable powershaft means having an agitate drive pulley and a spin drive pulley, a spin driven pulley drivably rotatably connected to said spin drive pulley and relatively rotatably carried on said spin member, and agitate driven pulley drivably rotatably connected to said agitate drive pulley, transmission means having a power input portion including said agitate driven pulley and a power output portion, said transmission means adapted for converting the rotary motion of said agitate driven pulley to an agitating motion at said power output portion, and clutch means carried on said spin member and relatively axially movable thereto between a first position in engagement with said spin driven pulley for effecting a driving connection between said spin driven pulley and said spin member and a second position in engagement with said power output portion for effecting a driving connection between said power output portion and said agitate member.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said clutch means includes a screw clutch portion threadedly supported on said spin member and engageable with said spin driven pulley in said first position, and a dog clutch portion axially shiftably drivably connected to said agitate men ber and relative rotatably carried by said screw clutch portion and engageable with said power output portion in said second position.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said clutch means includes a screw clutch portion threadedly supported on said spin member and engageable with said spin driven pulley in said first position, a drag clutch portion selectively grippingly connected to said screw clutch portion and actuated selectively by said spin driven pulley to initiate movement of said screw clutch portion between said positions, and a dog clutch portion axially shiftably drivably connected to said agitate member and relatively rotatably carried by said screw clutch portion and engageable with said power output portion in said second position.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said clutch means includes a screw clutch portion threadedly supported on said spin member and engageable with said spin driven pulley in said first position, and a dog clutch portion axially shiftably drivably connected to said agitate member and relatively rotatably and relatively axially movably carried by said screw clutch portion and yieldably engageable with said power output portion in said second position.

6. In combination with an agitate member and a spin member, an agitating and spinning mechanism for selectively motivating one of said members and comprising reversibly rotatable powershaft means having an agitate drive pulley and a spin drive pulley, said powershaft operable in a first direction to motivate said agitate member and in a second direction to motivate said spin member, a spin driven pulley drivably rotatably connected to said spin drive pulley and relatively rotatably carried on said spin member, an agitate driven pulley drivably rotatably connected to said agitate drive pulley, transmission means having a power input portion including said agitate driven pulley and a power output portion, said transmission means adapted for converting the rotary motion of said agitate driven pulley to an agitating motion at said power output portion, clutch means carried on said spin member and relatively axially movable thereto between a first position in engagement with said spin driven pulley for eifecting a driving connection between said spin driven pulley and said spin member and a second position in engagement with said power output portion for effecting a driving connection between said power output portion and said agitate member, said spin driven pulley actuating said clutch means to said second position when said powershaft is operating in said first direction.

7. In combination, a mechanism having agitate and spin driven members and a powershaft, said mechanism including means to effect an oscillatory motion in said agitate driven member when said powershaft is rotated in one direction and a spin motion in said spin driven member when said powershaft is rotated in an opposite direction, said means including a screw clutch having a first position for connecting said powershaft in driving relationship to said agitate driven member and a second position for connecting'said powershaft in driving relationship to said spin driven member, and decelerator means adjacent said screw clutch and rotatable concurrently with said powershaft, said decelerator means being actuated in response to the direction of rotation of said powershaft into locking engagement with said screw clutch at the start of said spin motion to limit movement of said screw clutch to said second position at the termination of said spin motion.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said decelerator means includes a pivotable lock arm movable into and out of a lock position in engagement with said screw clutch, a shift plate rotatably shiftable relative to said lock arm in response to the direction of said powershaft and a spring means movable with said shift plate and biasingly connected to said lock arm for moving said lock arm into said lock position.

9. In combination, a mechanism having agitate and spin driven members and a powershaft, said mechanism including means to elrect an oscillatory motion in said agitate driven member when said powershaft is rotated in one direction and a spin motion in said spin driven member when said powershaft is rotated in an opposite direction, said means including a screw clutch having a first position for connecting said powershaft in driving relationship to said agitate driven member and a second position for connecting said powershaft in driving relationship to said spin driven member, and decelerator means adjacent said screw clutch and rotatable concurrently with said powershaft, said decelerator means being actuated in response to the movement of said powershaft into locking engagement with said screw clutch at the start of said spin motion to limit movement of said screw clutch to said second position at the termination of said spin motion.

10. In combination with an agitate member and a spin member, an agitating and spinning mechanism for se-.

lectively motivating one of said members and comprising reversibly rotatable powershaft means having an agitate drive pulley and a spin drive pulley, a spin driven pulley drivably rotatably connected to said spin drive pulley and relatively rotatably carried on said spin member, an agitate driven pulley drivably rotatably connected to said agitate drive pulley, transmission means having a power input portion including said agitate driven pulley and a power output portion, said transmission means adapted for converting the rotary motion of said agitate driven pulley to oscillatory motion at said power output portion, clutch means carried on said spin member and relatively axially movable thereto between a first position in engagement with said spin driven pulley for efiecting a driving connection between said spin driven pulley and said spin member and a second position in engagement with said power output portion for effecting a driving connection between said power output portion and said agitate member, and means in selective locking engagement with said clutch means and actuated by said spin driven member to selectively limit movement of said clutch means in said first position, said clutch means including a screw clutch portion threadedly supported on said spin member and engageable with said spin driven pulley in said first position, a drag clutch portion selectively grippingly connected to said screw clutch portion and actuated selectively by said spin driven pulley to initiate movement of said screw clutch portion between said positions, and a dog clutch portion axially shiftably drivably connected to said agitate member and relatively rotatably carried by said screw clutch portion and engageable with said power output portion in said second position.

11. In combination, a mechanism having first and second driven members and a driving portion, said mechanism including means to elfect a first motion in said first driven member when said driving portion is rotated in one direction and a second motion in said second driven member when said driving portion is rotated in an opposite direction, said means including a screw clutch having a first position for connecting said driving portion in driving relationship to said first driven member and a second position for connecting said driving portion in driving relationship to said second driven member, and decelerator means adjacent said screw clutch and movable concurrently with said driving portion, said decelerator means being actuated in response to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of said driving portion References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Loehle Jan. 7, 1958 Sisson et al Oct. 31, 1961 

6. IN COMBINATION WITH AN AGITATE MEMBER AND A SPIN MEMBER, AN AGITATING AND SPINNING MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVELY MOTIVATING ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND COMPRISING REVERSIBLY ROTATABLE POWERSHAFT MEANS HAVING AN AGITATE DRIVE PULLEY AND A SPIN DRIVE PULLEY, SAID POWERSHAFT OPERABLE IN A FIRST DIRECTION TO MOTIVATE SAID AGITATE MEMBER AND IN A SECOND DIRECTION TO MOTIVATE SAID SPIN MEMBER, A SPIN DRIVEN PULLEY DRIVABLY ROTATABLY CONNECTED TO SAID SPIN DRIVE PULLEY AND RELATIVELY ROTATABLY CARRIED ON SAID SPIN MEMBER, AN AGITATE DRIVEN PULLEY DRIVABLY ROTATABLY CONNECTED TO SAID AGITATE DRIVE PULLEY, TRANSMISSION MEANS HAVING A POWER INPUT PORTION INCLUDING SAID AGITATE DRIVEN PULLEY AND A POWER OUTPUT PORTION, SAID TRANSMISSION MEANS ADAPTED FOR CONVERTING THE ROTARY MOTION OF SAID AGITATE DRIVEN PULLEY TO AN AGITATING MOTION AT SAID POWER OUTPUT PORTION, CLUTCH MEANS CARRIED ON SAID SPIN MEMBER AND RELATIVELY AXIALLY MOVABLE THERETO BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SPIN DRIVEN PULLEY FOR AFFECTING A DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID SPIN DRIVEN PULLEY AND SAID SPIN MEMBER AND A SECOND POSITION IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID POWER OUTPUT PORTION FOR EFFECTING A DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID POWER OUTPUT PORTION AND SAID AGITATE MEMBER, SAID SPIN DRIVEN PULLEY ACTUATING SAID CLUTCH MEANS TO SAID SECOND POSITION WHEN SAID POWERSHAFT IS OPERATING IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION. 